A Shadow of Memories
by Milena
Summary: "Everything is possible"? Well, let it be. R/R, please.
1. Daybreak

Disclaimer:

 I do not own any of SO 2.

Author's notes:

1. I know that in the game Dias has brown/crimson eyes, but in anime/manga his eyes are dark blue.

2. Don't kill me for the plot, please. It was made especially for the certain person. 

* * *

**A Shadow of Memories: Daybreak**

…The edge of the sun was almost touching the horizon when they all gathered at a large plateau where the space ship had landed a day ago. Time to depart – of course, they knew that Rena would agree to come with Claude to his native planet. They knew – but they didn't think that it would happen so soon…

…Well, at least _he_didn't think… 

He was standing a little far from the others with that usual cold expression on his face, arms crossed on his chest. Calm and taciturn, he looked a bit strange in that mixed company… But he _had_ to come, even if he didn't want to. After all, it was _Rena_  who was going to leave…

He refused to admit it – of course, how could he do such a thing?  But… He just wanted to see her…

…The tall, dark-haired earthian turned to Claude and told something to him. The boy nodded and, widely smiling, took Rena's hand and walked with her to the group of others. The sorceress in extremely short dress hugged the young nedian girl.

 "Oh, dear, we'll miss you a lot! Hope someday you'll come to see us…"

"I'll try, Celine-san," Rena smiled back and turned to the blonde earthian. "What do you think, Claude?" 

"Huh… May be," absent-mindedly agreed the boy. He shook Ashton's hand, smiled to Precis and Celine and then looked at Dias. Well, a lot of times he had been really mad at that damn cold-hearted warrior, but…

"_The main reason for it was Rena, and now she is by my side, so…_" his thought froze as he saw Rena slowly walking to the swordsman.

"What's up, dear?" Celine slightly touched his hand. "You look a bit strange…"  

"He is je-ealous…" drawled Precis with a spiteful grin. Celine turned away, trying to hide a sympathetic smile. Claude shook his head, staring at those two.

Jealousy? No. It was fear…

…Fear to loose her…

…Rena stopped in front of Dias. He looked at her – but didn't say a word. A transparent silence was hanging in the air – the girl was almost feeling it…

"You won't even say good-bye to me?.." a sad whisper slipped off from her lips, forcing him to grin with bitterness… To say "good-bye" to you? Do you really think that I want to do it?.. That I _can_ do it?..

She was still looking at him with her large blue eyes – Tria, he could not be angry with her… Even if she said something as silly as that…

…His severe features softened a bit and he slightly tousled her light blue hair. Rena squinted with delight: only Dias could do it _that way…_

…Nobody else could…

"Take care," his fingers softly touched her cheek, pulling away a disobedient lock of her hair. She nodded, unable to say a word, staring in his dark blue eyes… 

…They seemed so distant…

"Rena!" Claude's voice was _very_ nervous, and the girl suddenly realized that they had been standing that way for quite a long time… She had blushed a little – and Dias silently moved his hand away. Rena turned to the others, pretending not to see that "I-understand-everything" expression on Celine's face…

"It's time to go, Rena," Claude had given a _heavy_ look to the swordsman, and the girl hastily came up to the blonde and took his hand. It all could end up very bad – she remembered it too well…

…He was staring at Rena while she was walking with Claude to the space ship. Before going up the stairs the girl turned to see her friends one more time. And Dias suddenly understood: she wanted to catch _his_ glance…

…A terribly strong wish – to stop her… No. She had already decided…

…Decided for herself… And he wouldn't interfere…

…The wind was playing with her hair, carefully tousling light blue locks… The red light of afterglow was caressing her soft features, reflecting in her widely opened eyes… In that shining light she was so extremely beautiful…

A bit sad and tender expression on her face – Tria, how would he stay without her?..

…A fool who had lost his only friend… His only love, to be honest…

…He was walking away, calm and taciturn as usual. He hadn't even said "good-bye" to the others – well, they weren't surprised… Probably they had understood everything… But he didn't care.

…Of course, he knew that he would overcome it. He still had a lot to do, and time would be a good help for him… But honestly, at that moment Dias was almost glad that nobody could see his eyes…

~ ~ ~

…Suddenly awakened, he was trying to calm down his breath. A quick look through the opened window: the daybreak had already kissed the sky, painting it in light morning colours. Still so early – but the air was filled with the warmness of the rising summer sun. The day was definitely going to be good… 

…A dream. Not very pleasant though – but still just a dream…

…He turned his head and looked at the girl sleeping on his left shoulder. Thank Tria, he hasn't woken her…

…She is so beautiful… And really strong if she could say that she wanted to stay by his side…

…A slight smile slipped across his lips and he carefully touched her cheek, pulling away a lock of her hair – light blue as the summer sky…

Milena

2002****

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Author's notes:

1. Strange? Maybe. What had really happened that day? I'll try to explain it in the second chapter. 

2. I'm not very good at English, so, feel free to tell me about mistakes. Comments are welcome.


	2. Afterglow

Disclaimer:

 I do not own any of SO 2.

Author's notes:

1. Thank You for reviews. You were kind to me. ^_^.

2. I promised to explain everything, so, this part is not actually a continuation. It was a bad dream in the first chapter, but there are real memories of that day in the second one.

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**A Shadow of Memories: Afterglow**

…He is looking at the crimson sky – absent-mindedly, as if he is completely lost in his thoughts. The hot wind is brushing his hair – some of the long blonde locks have already fallen on his face, protecting him from any intent glance… He wants to throw them off – but doesn't move. After all, they don't really bother him… 

…The sunsets. They always disturb him, forcing to remember – again and again… Well, he had a lot of time to forget… But even now he still can't. He remembers it too well, damn, he just hates all the sunsets – because of _that one_… And, for some reason, this afterglow looks terribly alike…

…When she turned back, he suddenly felt uneasy. Something was wrong. _Really_  wrong… Worried, he glanced at her, trying to understand the cause of that strange feeling…

…Rena turned to her friends – and her heart sank as she met the glance of Dias. He was standing in a stream of red light – the sunset was extremely bright… The crimson sky was reflecting in his eyes – he was staring at her, calmly and attentively… _As always_… 

…A clear silence – like a wall between them, transparent, but so unbreakable…

_…No…_

…A sudden trembling in her fingers – why? For some reason it became difficult to breath – as if the wind had stricken her…

…That distant look of his – it had been that way for a long time, but still… 

…A warm hand on the back of her head, a shadow of a smile on his lips… The feeling of being protected that only _his_  presence could give…

_…I…_

…Tenderness in her eyes – almost against her will… He didn't allow anybody to become closer to him, but… She knew that she was the only person that he cared about… And she was happy – just because of his existence somewhere in the world… 

…She still remembered her childish dream: to walk with Dias by the streets of Lacour – or some other town – hand in hand… To talk about something and feel, that the other understands you in a flash – just because you have been together for so long…

…Her eyes opened wide in realization: she had just admitted it… Together – with _Dias_…

It was painful – to look at him, noticing a bitter tiredness in his eyes. His face was quite indifferent, but somehow she felt: at that moment he was even more lonely than usual… And maybe – just maybe- it was… because of her?..

…Did he want her to stay?..

"Claude…" Rena nervously bit her lip. "I've almost forgotten about him…"

…He was a good friend of hers… He risked his life to protect her… 

…He didn't deserve to be hurt like that…

…She wanted – really wanted to make him happy, but…

…You may say whatever you want – but it's no use in tricking yourself…

_…Can't…_

…A desperate look – answer me, please… Just something…

His face had wavered a bit – for a very short instant – but the girl's nerves were strained so much that she noticed it and, taking a deep breath, almost unconsciously stepped ahead… 

"Rena!" the blonde earthian darted to her – but a heavy hand of his father laid upon his shoulder. 

"Don't interfere."

Embarrassed and irritated, Claude wanted to throw that hand off – but Rena turned back. And the boy froze as he saw her eyes filled with tears.

"Claude, I…" started the girl, but her voice broke, and she almost whispered the rest. "Sorry…" 

…She was slowly walking away – of course, he wanted to stop her, but his father didn't allow him to. The strong fingers of Ronixis clenched Claude's wrist, forcing him to scratch his teeth. Damn, it was none of his father's concern… Why had he interfered?.. 

…A sudden realization had stricken him as he had looked at Rena. She was walking _to Dias_ – and they all had already understood it… Everybody – except him…

…Slow steps – the only sound in the unreal silence that had filled the air. All of her friends were looking at her – Rena could almost feel their stunned glances…

…But it didn't matter. _Everything_ didn't matter… She was staring at Dias, and it seemed that the ground was dangerously swinging under her feet… The absolute, irrational belief: she had just to overcome the reminded few steps between them – and everything would definitely be good…

…Tria, how could she think that it would be possible – to live without that calm and understanding glance… Without his deep and even voice that she loved so much…

…He was looking at her, unable neither to move nor even to say something. He knew her too well to doubt that it was really hard for her – to do such a thing… 

_…Because of him…_

"I had to stop her… But I was too proud for it… I swore to protect her – and hurt her instead…"

…He took a deep breath – and stepped toward her… 

…Feeling as if she was going to faint, the girl staggered to Dias and buried her forehead in his shoulder. He carefully hugged her, and Rena finally allowed herself to relax and closed her eyes. She had to screw up all of her courage for coming to him – and after that she was unable to restrain herself anymore. Tears began to flow down her face – and Dias pulled the girl closer to him and placed his hand upon the back of her head… 

"How did he _dare?! _" Claude rushed ahead but stopped as he came across the swordsman's glance… 

…He remembered that look quite well… 

…Lacour, the final battle of the tournament… He was trying to stand up, even though it all had been already decided… Dias was staring at him – with that damn cold and scornful expression on his face… And – when he had finally stood up – the warrior sent him to fly across the arena at one blow…

"It's over, Claude." Even then his father didn't release his wrist. "Leave them."

Claude hung his head, unable to look at those two. To see Rena in _that man's_ hands was enough to understand: it had been really over even before, when she had stopped and turned back…

…Rena moved away a little and looked in the dark blue eyes of the man she always wanted to be with. His expression was softer than usual as he quietly called her name. "Rena…"

"Dias… I…" shyly started the girl, but he interrupted her, placing a hand upon her shoulder.

"You don't need to explain. Let's go."

"Well, it happens…" thoughtfully smiled Celine, glancing at the young nedian girl who was walking away with her swordsman. "Maybe sometimes it's better to risk and jump into a cold river or else you will never forgive yourself…"

~ ~ ~

"I'm not easy to be with…" he carefully touched her cheek, looking in her eyes that seemed dark blue in a silver moonlight. "You know it, right?"

"Yes." Simply answered the girl and smiled, placing her fingers upon his hand. "But I want to stay with you, so… Really – it doesn't matter…"

Milena

2002****

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Author's notes:

 Well, it's finished. I know that Rena/Claude fans won't like this ending, but I like Dias so much that I can't just leave him alone. ^_^.  As for Rena – she knows and understands him better than anybody else, she cares for him so much, and I'm sure that she certainly can warm the heart of the Lonely Swordsman. Are You agree, or not – anyway, feel free to tell me whatever You think. Comments are welcome. 


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